Russian Wrestling Head Says 'Tens' Of Doping Cases

The head of the Russian wrestling federation has clarified a statement he made on doping, saying he meant there was an "epidemic" across all sports in the country.

Mikhail Mamiashvili told Russian media on March 22 that there were "tens" of doping cases in Russia, but the TASS news agency later quoted him as saying in an interview that he was not speaking only about wrestling.

A number of Russian sportsmen and women have been caught using the drug meldonium since it was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances on January 1.

Mamiashvili confirmed reports that Russian national team wrestlers Sergei Semyonov and Evgeny Saleyev had tested positive. Saleyev won a world championship silver medal in 2014.

Also on March 22, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko would remain in his post after the minister had hinted he could resign over Russia's series of doping scandals.